Reconnaissance: Eastern Saga
by CataclysmicReality
Summary: Continues from Parallels ch 6. Follow Angel as she advances through Second Life and is introduced to the true purpose of Menace. More details inside. Coincides with Parallels at a later time, basically more details on the game and interactions .
1. Path to a Mage

Reconnaissance: Eastern Saga

This story follows the team Menace throughout the lands of Second Life and the trials and interactions with the various players and missions as they act on behalf of the Game Heads to expose the hidden agenda of the Game Creator. As the motives and the crimes of the creator surface in more details out in the world of reality, they find the only means of unlocking the secrets is by dominating the five key holders and extracting the codes they possess. The hope is that they can do so before time runs out for both in-game and real-world dwellers.

ES 01: **Path to a Mage**

-Lead in from Parallels Chapter 6-

…

"If that's what works for you, we can call it that. Your name?" He offered his hand again.

She looked at his hand and took hold of it. "Angel" she said to the point, and then pulled herself up to a standing position. "A soon to become mage, I guess."

Renegade released her hand and the other team members began to gather in. He nodded to her consent of the position with his non-fading smile.

"Well then Angel, welcome to Menace."

"Hmph!" Whisper remarked, still annoyed by the whole run of events. "I still don't get why all of you are fawning over this girl. She's nothing special, despite what you guys were saying!"

"'Fawning'?" Angel questioned, clearly interested in the back story but letting it go in the next instant. "Well, I can't say there's anything special either." She remarked matter-of-factly. "After all, I just got decimated on the playing field, and am only a level… 'Profile'! A level 5 newbie who wasn't even sure what class I wanted to be."

Renegade laughed a little by her sudden need to affirm her level in the middle of conversation by calling up her profile just like that. He moved around the side of the screen and looked over her details. "Hmmm? I guess you are just a level 5 character. So you leveled four times just now? It's a pity that lower level characters are restricted from experience binges that would pump your level instantaneously. To think that the diminishing returns would be this severe…"

"It's what you would expect." Whisper stated as he turned away from her stat screen. "We were the ones that killed them."

"All the same, with an amount of experience typically worth what it takes to level to 20, only resulting in four levels gain is just an annoying factor." Braun said supportively. "I guess that can't be helped. Instead of questioning why the system works the way it does, perhaps we should be thinking of helping you in other ways?"

"Other ways?" Angel asked, and then realized the state of her attire. Though she was still covered with cloth over all the parts of her now womanly-body that should be covered, there was still a lot more skin exposed than what was character typical. The fact that she ripped most of it away into part of her battle clothes aside, she was also lacking across one entire shoulder and along her collar bone. With all the added holes from her prior injuries, it was a wonder she wasn't falling out of what was left. Even funnier was that as a male Chao Cheng wouldn't have thought anything of it, but given female nature, her hand instinctively went to shield even the minor exposure from their eyes.

"Besides the wardrobe adjustments," Renegade added in lightly as he pulled a long cloak from his inventory, "we need to get you to a useful state as quick as possible. After all, Infamy waits for no one.

"You up for it, or was that little scuffle enough for you to call it a day?" He asked as he held the garment out to her.

She smiled wryly as she plucked the cloak from his hand, threw it around her body, and fastened it secure before giving a glance over her shoulder. "So does anyone know the requirements for becoming a sorceress, or will we just have to worry about it when we get back to the city later?"

With that said, she flicked her head back around and started off down the path of prior destruction towards the deeper woods.

"I guess going back for a meal is out of the question now?" Asked Whisper in an annoyed fashion.

"Ha!" Renegade declared in good humor as he placed his one hand on Whisper's head while pushing a package containing meat buns into his hands. "I think you worry too much about the trivial things."

Whisper shook Renegade's hand from his head and grumbled as he left to catch up the girl walking away from them. Braun, Sorrow, and Dusk seemed to be just as eager in the newest addition. Whisper could care less.

"What's so trivial about my stomach?" Whisper said to no one in particular. "It's important to me…"

*****

-Later on-

"Hmmm… so Renegade and Whisper are brothers?" Angel said absently as she inputted the changes in her stats and abilities. Below her was what was left of what used to be a formidable monster, now reduced to a temporary seat. "I wouldn't have guessed that there would be siblings working together."

"Yeah, it isn't a common thing these days." Renegade stated simply. "Especially when we're both of the dual weapon warrior class."

"Dual weapon?" Angel asked, looking up briefly. "I thought you used a two handed weapon?"

Renegade smiled in immediate reply before adding a quip. "Do I?"

"Well," Angel started as her gaze shifted back to her task at hand—a strand of her long hair confined to her mouth's edge helped to portray the level of dedication she had to her task—before finishing her thought. "It doesn't matter either way.

"And what of Braun, Dusk, and Sorrow? Any relations there?"

"Only that we're all registered partners of a certain guild, as to what that guild is all about, it doesn't really matter at the moment." He dismissed. "Do you think you've gathered enough miscellaneous items in that pouch there?" He nodded his head to indicate her large assortment of various dropped parts of monsters and such that she had been collecting.

She looked down. "No… probably not. Since none of you know the requirements for me to change my career, I'll just keep collecting these things until we've gained enough experience and head back to the city. If it's not here, we can always trade with the lesser players. Assuming there are any still alive after leaving the gates."

"By the way, do you know what stats you are assigning with a fair amount of confidence? Usually one would want to assign things only after they were able to model to their career and character class." Renegade stated, pointing at the already assigned points in her profile. "Sure you can adjust later to what is underdone, but if you add too much?"

"Ha." Angel laughed with a smile of confidence. "I know all about casters and the settings for their stat distributions. Less health because they are a support character, more mana, wisdom, intelligence, and other things relating to magical energy. Some character fortitude and physique so they aren't struck down easily by a stray attack or discharge. I have things covered. Although, I'm not completely following the cookie-cutter mindset. My build is a bit unique."

"Then have you decided on an element yet?" Dusk stated as he came into the conversation. "Mages are supporter types after all, but they can also be very devastating independents as well. Although my own demon class necromancy focuses in supporting curses and restrictions over my opponents, by myself I am more than capable of reducing many of foolish players and monsters that try to challenge me to dust. Choosing the right element and sub-types are an important must if you wish to solo."

"I'm vaguely familiar." Angel admitted. She had faced many types in World as the Guardian of Hell's Abandon after all. Although most of them couldn't hold their own very well, there was a wide selection of possibility, and unfortunately most players tried to disperse their range to include too much. It was probably best to focus mostly in just one area and know how to get away if they proved undesirable.

"Heh, why don't you stop thinking about it too much and simply focus on your defensive abilities?" Whisper interjected with his opinion. "That way you can protect yourself when we can't. Besides, we already have an offensive front, we lack defense - defense is where you'll be best!"

There was a moment of silence as Angel regarded him with a looked of apology, before turning back to what she was doing before.

Renegade sighed because of his foolish sibling, before addressing Braun across the way.

"Braun, hit him for me."

Readily there to oblige his request, Braun delivered the act of retribution before Whisper could even defend himself. Before the whining started, Renegade quickly spoke up to silence him.

"Whisper, why did we try to find a mage, just what were we lacking?" He pressed, hoping it would spur a sense of recollection in the team's youngest member. "Why was a mage so important to us?"

"Wasn't it just to round out the team a bit?" Whisper asked begrudgingly. He had dodged the blow to his head, but suffered a reduction of hit points around his shoulder area. "Support characters are support characters after all."

There seemed to be a collective sigh in the group as Whisper's latest comment did everything to display his ignorance in the entire movement. As he probably wouldn't understand in game terms, Renegade decided to approach the subject in terms of military application.

"Whisper, if you were to compare our team now with troops on a World War II battlefield, what would you have?"

"WWII? Isn't that a bit ancient now?" He asked visibly annoyed. "Something like regular soldiers and snipers, right?"

"Something like that." His sibling supported. "Coupled with specialist like flamethrower units and grenadiers, the basis of our attack team would be a well rounded ground squadron. But what of a giant enemy? Precision strikes against that kind of enemy may take a few soldiers on the opposite side, but what good will those do us when they attack us with an air strike? So we too need our own air support in order to hit them first, and then we pick up the stragglers.

"First there is the area attack, and then we destroy the remainders. That is the point of a mage." Renegade clarified. "Remember that the stronger the more useful. A well developed attack skill set would be as effective as an atomic bomb. Very useful against impossible odds."

"And if that bomb was blocked?" Huffed Whisper in annoyance.

"Then at least whatever had the power to block it is that much weaker." Stated Angel passively. "Although if someone blocked that kind of weapon, it would probably be foolish that you were fighting them to begin with."

"Well, more or less." Added Renegade as Angel seemed to drift completely into what she was doing. "The point being that area attacks round out our team, and that's enough said on that subject. Though looking at her stats I'm beginning to wonder if a mage is what she's really aiming for…"

Almost in response, Angel typed in her last adjustment and the screen in front of her disappeared outright.

"Done already?" Asked Renegade in good humor.

"I ran out of points to assign…" Angel said ruefully. "A level 16 player only has so many to distribute. Should we go kill more monsters? Although I'm not really the one doing so at the moment…"

"I think - not." Renegade stated clearly. "You'll be much more useful if you get at least some kind of ability to aid you after all."

"Besides that, we need to get you something more to wear." Braun mentioned in regards to the cloak around her. "Although that helps, you might as well be wearing a bed sheet."

"Yes," Dusk agreed from the side. "I think that would be wise. The walk is long enough back that we're certain to kill something else in passing, and you really should have become a mage six levels ago. It's past time now."

"Besides that, I'm kind of interested in what kind of weapon you'll get for yourself." Sorrow added. "You don't seem like the typical magical wand or staff type to me… and I'm almost depleted in my stock of arrows as well."

"And I could go for a real meal." Whisper said wistfully as his mind began to sample the options. "I think I'll have-"

"-and no one cares about what you'll have where…" Renegade cut in. "Well, that seems to be the general consensus, is that good for you Angel?"

"Yeah…" she said with her thoughts elsewhere, "that'll work."

Without another word she picked up her sack of miscellaneous objects and fell into step with the others. It wasn't World, but it certainly had its interesting moments.

Although with the path she had begun with her stats, it could possibly become just that much better.

******

-In the city of Azure Dragon-

"So you've decided to be a mage, eh?" Greeted the jovial NPC mage assigner, who was a frail old man with rosy cheeks. "A fine young thing like you looks like you'll be an excellent spell caster - if I do say so myself!"

"Is… that so?" Angel said hesitantly, not really sure what to say. She wasn't even sure if she had the right items, let alone the right way to ask about it. "I guess that would be a good thing. It means I'm making the right decision."

"Haha! You bet!" The eccentric old man announced. "Got your assorted 5 quest items?"

"About that, since I wasn't sure what it required… well," she offered him the bag of items and hoped it had what was needed, "it might be here."

"Might be?" He looked at her peculiarly as he took the bag and gave her a sideways look. "Well, if not I take back what I said… you pretentious youth!"

At once the NPC tore open the bag and began to sort through it when his eyes began to bulge in his sockets.

"What!" He cried out suddenly in surprise. "What, what!! Dragon's tongue, fox claw, Zhen's feather, Peng's foot, this, that, ooh, one of those too?!? And -"

"Is it not enough?" Angel asked slyly. She didn't need the answer to know that she had just brought back some high items. She'd have to thank her new teammates later.

"Not enough?" He said taken aback. "Young lady, you practically gave me a heart attack! No, no, by all means, you are definitely meant for this path!

Well then, choose your weapon type: Staff, wand, scepter, etc, it's your choice really, there are a few who even go with daggers and swords."

"How about… a forearm guard then?"

"Eh?" The old man leaned in closer, his one finger twirling the end of his white beard. "I, did I hear you right? Forearm guard?"

"Yes, if that's alright." She said with a confident air.

"No, that's fine." He stated calmly. "Just the first time I've heard of it.

"Very well, now your element/power, or whatever you want. And up to two sub types to start with. You can always add more later, but you can't take them away. As for what skills you get, you can assign those later after consideration."

"Heh, then I'll take the Electric type as my primary, with subs of metal and water. Because that's what will work best."

"Will it? Well then, if that's your choice…"

******

A moment later the still cloaked Angel strolled out of the Mages' tent and the system chimed overhead with 'Player Angel has changed her career to Mage! Abilities in Electric, metal, water. Skill specifications undecided.'

"Ha… that's noisy." She stated to no one in particular as she strode towards her allies.

"So what kind of weapon did you go for?" Asked Sorrow as soon as she was in earshot.

"An interesting one… probably." Angel said as she reached into her updated inventory and grabbed what would be her new weapon. Without dragging the moment further, she pulled out a black forearm guard, with a small jewel on its top and a rather plain pattern. It was only a first weapon after all.

"What the heck is that?" Whisper declared at once. "I think you were gypped!"

"It is… a bit strange." Sorrow agreed. "Not elegant at all. It doesn't seem to fit."

"Really?" Renegade asked the previous speakers. Dusk and Braun were just silent. "It is a bit interesting. But it's not my preference that matters. What do you think?"

Angel smiled as she slipped it on her right arm. The balance and the weight were just as she hoped.

"What do I think?" She asked with a smile as her hair blew outward in the wind and the forearm guard rested firmly on its new home. "I think it's perfect. And it came in just the right color."

"Well then," Renegade smiled as he extended his hand to her, "Then that is all that matters.

"Once again, welcome to Menace. Mage Angel."


	2. Identity and True Purpose

ES 02: **Identity and True Purpose**

After choosing skill sets in Charge, Smith, and Seep, Angel talked a little more about her choices with the group and their expectations, before she chose to sign off.

-Reality-

Chao Cheng removed the gaming client from his forehead and set it aside. To experience the change of gender and the realization that his body here differed so greatly to the one in the game – it really was deserving of its title of "Second Life" – as it really felt unlike his current existence. Nonetheless, this was the real world and his first life, so he had tasks to do in it.

After sliding out of bed, he flipped the remote power switch to his computer networking system and went about his morning routine. It wasn't as though he had anywhere to go besides his job – nothing much to worry about – so he took his time while he thought over his new life within the game.

Although he had only just entered that mindset, he finished his other tasks just as quickly and was ready for his day sooner than he anticipated, grabbing a quick bite to eat from his apartment's kitchen before heading into his work room. With everything already online and set up due to its earlier activation, he was prepared to enter all the most recent networks in accordance with both his software work and personal entertainment. Before anything else though, he decided to log into the forums at the mostly vacant World to see if there were any changes. He wasn't disappointed.

Apparently, the word of his departure had been confirmed as his throne was empty. However, this didn't really mean that there were others trying to fill it, this was mostly just part of the reporting members of the guild that was set against him. Though it looks as though they didn't detect that he made his way into Second Life yet, and why would they? In there, he was female.

It was amusing.

Oh well, that amusement would have to wait until tonight. For now he had to pay the bills.

-Second Life-

When Angel had arrived at the predetermined meeting place she was surprised to find that the other members of Menace had already gathered, despite how early she was. Maybe they were a menace to themselves and their social lives by playing the game too much? She was tempted to laugh, but kept it to herself.

"I hope you didn't come early on behalf on my account." She said casually. "I was thinking of self-training if there was no one here. Well, no worries."

"Actually," Renegade started in a serious, but light tone, "we've been discussing the matter for most of the day, but think that rather than waiting for the system to debug that we'd like to settle things with you. It's safest that way."

_Most of the day? Safest? _Thought Angel to herself. What was he going on about?

"If you really want to know of what Menace is all about, then follow us. Keep in mind that if you are part of this team from a certain point on, you aren't really just 'playing' anymore." Renegade smiled. "But what life is solely a game anyways?"

As they started to walk from the city towards the woods outside, Angel paused for the slightest moment as she considered her options. Because she had only just joined she had limited opinions, but something about Menace didn't strike her as an ordinary team. They seemed to calm about certain things, too laid back about others, and too collective to be a team solely out for infamy and causing trouble. And that Renegade, that leader of theirs, was very interesting already. So what was there to think about?

Without calling out or running to catch up, she simply followed. For some reason, even losing the 'game' aspect seemed like it could be fun.

*****

Sometime later – after walking for what seemed a long time and into a particularly buggy area of the game – the various members of Menace stopped and took a seat among various boulders that adorned the area, yet Angel chose to remain standing since they had taken seats that partially surrounded her. She wanted to ask what this was about, but she wasn't impetuous, just curious. She thought in this case it might be better to wait.

"Angel… no," Renegade started before breaking off. He seemed to reconsider his word choices before continuing. "It is Angel… now. But perhaps you want to be addressed with another title?"

Angel felt a tinge of alarm from within, but she never showed it across her features. "What title would I prefer? I already took this name. Players names can't be changed once selected."

"That's true of course, but what if I told you that despite everything – I know already?"

"Know what?" she asked defiantly. She wondered why this was about her all of a sudden. Didn't they want to disclose their true purpose?

"That the nature of this 'perfect' game is all messed up. There are bugs within the system that shouldn't be here, glitches and other things that affect game play, and virtually prevented hundreds of players from leveling up during the last session." He looked at her with sly eyes. "Do you know why that is?"

"No clue."

"That's because… someone did something they shouldn't have by hacking into the system and allowing for a special consideration to be done. Using my father's connections, who happens to be one of the heads behind the creation of Second Life, we created a second transgendered player." Angel flinched visibly, but Renegade continued. "Didn't I mention that Menace was part of a guild? But I never said which one. We are part of the Anti Chao Cheng guild!"

The mind of Chao Cheng started abruptly, but the body of Angel did little to carry the action into where it could be seen. She was half ready to strike out and bolt away, but besides the admission, the various members of Menace had remained still. So she decided to feign ignorance until she could decide her course of action.

"I see… but what does that have to do with me?"

"Well… everything… and nothing. Actually, even though we helped to create the second gender alteration – which inherently messed with the game system and created a dissonant bubble around the area in which you were born – we didn't know who was who. We had to guess. But it wasn't so hard when there was only one level 1 player out in the thick of things battling with skill others seemed to be without. There was no doubt that it was you – in my mind at least – from the very beginning."

"So… I see… but, that seems awful elaborate a scheme just to have revenge against Chao Cheng." Angel said hesitantly. The others of Menace still made no moves, but her nerves were fraying even faster than before. "In fact, why not just let the gender remain unchanged, find me and corpse camp me from the beginning? You know that even the formidable Guardian of Hell's Abandon can do nothing against higher level players."

"Heh," Renegade laughed in amusement. "That because of three reasons:

"Firstly, that's just not fun. Secondly, we have need of the bugs and the distortion in order to carry out of personal objectives. And thirdly, we didn't set out to kill you. We needed to find and recruit you."

"Recruit me?" Angel whispered. There seemed to be much more than she could hope to have guessed from the beginning. "What do you mean? And why cause a distortion at all?"

"Because then it is easier to have this conversation in an area where we can't be watched." Renegade admitted. "After all, we aren't really a menace to the public of Second Life, just to the Game Creator himself."

"!?" Angel sounded a noise of surprise, and went to ask, but fell silent.

"Well, I'll explain in detail, if you're interested." Renegade stated with an amused expression.

*****

Sometime over the next hour, Angel listened with rapt attention as Renegade explained the true scope and objectives of Menace. She learned that they weren't merely an assembly of game players, but special technicians that were recently hired by the Game Heads and Administrators of Second Life to investigate possible illegal activities performed by the Game Creator, who seemed in the middle of a string of disappearances of people from the real world. Unfortunately, all evidence of their presence in the real world has seemingly been erased, and any information at all is heavily encrypted as game coding. Meaning that the only way to gather evidence is to venture into the game and unravel impossibilities that other players would think normal missions.

Apparently these missions weren't simple any one mission, but the highest level of missions. Each needing to be unlocked in accordance with the impossibilities established throughout Second Life. Five continents, five top missions… apparently a special encryption gained through each one, though in ways not known. It was up for them to figure that much out.

Of course, the real shocker was that the various team members of Menace had been within the game as employees for over a week now. Since their objectives were considered a top priority, just a night wasn't enough. Their bodies in the real world were in cryogenic sleep, letting them stay fully aware and conscious within the game at all times. To act like players, but carry on a mission of their own… it was their reconnaissance. And they had started where they were most likely to meet their latest recruit, Chung Chao Cheng, aka Angel.

"So what do you say?" Renegade asked at the end. "Want to become a formal employee, working with us?

"If you're worried about the pay, I wouldn't be." Stated Braun, speaking for one of the first times during this session. "Both it and the benefits are pretty good. Besides unlimited game play, you can opt to leave cryo-stasis whenever you want. It's good for getting a touch of reality back into your life, visit your loved ones, or pay your bills."

"Besides all that, you can kill anything and anyone – in the game – that you think is annoying." Whisper added. "Not many jobs pay you for causing trouble in society."

Dusk nodded with a serious expression, and Sorrow flashed him a smile and gave him a 'thumbs up' sign.

Angel sighed. This was a lot of information to process all at once, yet these guys are asking that she decide right now? Of course… she already knew what the answer was.

"So… where do I sign up?"


	3. Getting Started

ES 03: **Getting Started**

-Reality-

After a somewhat long and detailed explanation of where Chao Cheng needed to be and when, Angel and the rest proceeded into the forest wilderness to do some leveling, although as of the moment, Angel's magical contribution was really that of a support character. However, in terms of ability and athletics, she was already pretty valuable. Capable of finishing higher level monsters with an ability of swiftness they couldn't catch up with. Renegade thought that perhaps it was a waste of talent that she was magical at all, but she didn't think the same.

Concerning magic in general, she had begun to practice with her three abilities, using Seep to draw moisture from the ground and air, while she used Charge to imbue weapons with electrical energies. Smith was used to manipulate metals, and for now did well to enhance the armor of her and the others, as well as to sharpen weapon edges while in battle. So far the three abilities worked well with one another by stabbing an extra-sharp weapon into a monster and using the water across its surface area to distribute the electrical charge on both an internal and external level. It was a sure kill technique. Something that would probably increase in power as her magical strength moved higher as well.

As for the present moment, however, Angel was left behind in the game system and Chao Cheng was standing just beyond the doors of a less-than important looking building. Of course, he was aware that her level of activity was soon to increase, as this was the place where he would 'officially' join the other Menace employees. In an uncertain time, he would be spending more time as her, as his body was placed in forced hibernation through cryogenics.

Still… he had come early to this thing he had agreed upon so suddenly. It seemed less like a public serving group than a criminal element. Well, as soon as he heard more details he was sure that he would feel a bit more comfortable. But it wasn't like he could simply reject it either. For the first time in years, he felt a growing excitement building within him like never before. It didn't matter that he was a girl in the game; it was still him in terms of soul.

Besides all that, he was also as interested as the others were concerning the first Second Life player. The first player and the one that changed their gender from the beginning, exactly why that was not even Renegade knew, but it was thought that they'd cross paths eventually. If what he thought was true, the first player might be a plant by the Game Creator, using them as an eventual shield. What's more, Prince – as they found out 'his' name was – has a 'growing' weapon. Because of this fact, Prince would never need a weapon upgrade, which meant his strength could reach historic heights if he simply kept leveling up. Considering it would be a problem if their worst fears were true, they made the former Guardian of World into the same thing.

Chao Cheng looked at his right arm absently, where the black forearm guard that served as Angel's primary weapon rested. Just as Renegade had predicted, those who underwent a gender change were given a special boost in ability by inheriting a growing weapon, which they had confirmed Angel's weapon to be. She was just as surprised as any of the others when it had leveled along with her just last night.

Taking him away from his thoughts, the sound of sliding doors alerted him to the approach of the person whom he had sought to meet. What was more surprising was that Renegade in the game was nearly exactly the same in terms visuals as he was in real life. The only real difference was the upgrade factor that came with the majesty of being an elf. Well, it may be that all members of Menace took similar appearances to real life – it would certainly make it easier to work with each other.

"Chung Chao Cheng, I presume?" asked Renegade in a formal manner as he extended his right hand forward. For security purposes, he neglected to offer his real name as formal exchange would typically dictate.

"That's right," Chao Cheng replied, taking the offered hand. "Disappointed?"

"Hardly," Renegade said with a natural smile. "After all, I was well acquainted with your appearance in World, though I was merely an observer then." He moved away and through the doors halfway, before adding, "but that was then, and a different game. This time I and the game are on a different level."

Chao Cheng said nothing, but followed his team leader through the doors and into the lobby of the unimpressive and standard office building. But he said nothing and continued to follow to the reception desk, where he was given an unofficial employee's badge, "The paperwork will come later" said Renegade knowingly as they continued towards what looked to be a freight elevator.

The only two on the elevator, Renegade inserted his employee ID in an obscure card slot and selected the button for the lowest level. There was a brief shutter as the elevator car began what seemed to be a rather slow descent to their destination. Renegade briefly explained that without the card, they couldn't reach their destination, but it wasn't as though the floor changed, there was another trick involved.

The initial trick of the card was that it turned off video tracking for the elevator once it reached the bottom floor. If there was no one present in the room when the doors to scrap room opened, then another trick was used to gain access to their room. Fortunately almost no one had ever felt the need to go to the old scrap room and it was empty. With the open doors, he pushed back one of the door's rubber flaps and slid the card through another key swipe. Almost at once, the back of the elevator slid up and they proceeded into the hallway.

"It's a good trick when you need to keep something secret," explained Renegade as they walked along the corridor. "We're operating outside common knowledge after all, so it is good to do it out of any watchful eyes. If anyone is down in the elevator or room, the door will not open, and the secrets will remain so."

Chao Cheng nodded. It made sense, though the aspect of secrecy had put him on edge slightly, since he was venturing out of the lines of playing a game and becoming an agent within the game. The job change itself mattered little since he was an independent software engineer. Perhaps one of the skills they needed from him.

Suddenly a change in the lighting broke him from his thoughts as he shielded his eyes with his hands. They had entered a room with a high ceiling, armored walls and an overwhelming central conduit column that sported all kinds of network, utility, fiber optic, electric, etc cables that were hardwired into a series of capsules that surrounded the column. The wires and cables went beneath, beside, and around the capsules like roots of a tree. In fact, the image of the central column was very tree-like.

A sound of a thick armored door sealing itself behind him did not break his fascination as he approached the capsules. He knew instantly that they were the cryogenic capsules that Renegade had mentioned before. A few were open but four were closed, and he knew that his other teammates were hibernating within. No one else was present in the room save for himself and Renegade.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Renegade asked as he moved beside him. "This 'tree' here supports our uninterruptable game play and ability to operate without outside interference. The walls are meant to be shock absorbers and EMP resilient. It's a bit overkill, but it was once used for military operations and training regiments in the past experiments, but now it's perfect for our own needs here."

"'Military operations'?" questioned Chao Cheng as he looked at his ally inquisitively. "Actually, no… I might be better off not knowing."

"It's not like it was a classified project or anything, it was just part of its history and completely unrelated to what we're doing here," Renegade said. "I just thought it was interesting when I first came here. Because it ties into the connection of the Game Heads, we were able to use this former military facility to conduct our independent investigation. Here we are completely sealed off from the outside world and its influence.

"Anyway, we won't accomplish much outside the game right now." He went to a locker near the wall and pulled out two suits of a wired-synthetic material that glimmered in the light. "These are the cryo-suits that we wear for hibernation. They track your vitals and ensure all cells are under perfect freeze to prevent abnormalities that may result from improper hibernation." He threw the suit over to Chao Cheng and smiled. "Change into that and then we'll plug you in."

Chao Cheng wore an odd bemused smile as he held the flimsy full-body suit to the light. "I haven't worn pajamas since I was 2… is this an investigation or a slumber party?"

"A little of both I think," Renegade laughed. "You'll get used to it eventually, it's only awkward until the onset of hibernation."

"Sure."

* * *

Moments later Chao Cheng found himself lying within one of the open capsules and being instructed on the operations methods needed for inducing the state of self-sleep that they all needed to learn. He had already pressed the various kinetic connectors to the sections of micro-weave where indicated. It wasn't difficult and pretty straight forward.

Renegade checked the attachments and handed him a game headset. "I think you're ready to go. I'll stay on the outside for a bit to make sure there are no abnormalities in the system and to secure your paperwork for when you come out. We'll break hibernation in a week to check your motor functions and see how you are. If all is well, then we'll know that we can operate long periods of time without incident.

"If you think you're ready, push the button and lie back."

Chao Cheng nodded and did as he was told. As soon as the capsule door closed, there was a soft hissing noise as something began to fog his vision, and then he was embraced by the darkness.

* * *

-In game-

Angel opened her eyes and took a deep breath. It was hard to believe it, but her body felt amazing compared to the night before, a little like the feeling of an adrenaline surge without the panic. Was this the effect of cryogenics and gameplay?

She glanced down at the evolved forearm guard and its updated look. It had a few more etchings in the metal and the shape of the gem had changed slightly, but more or less it was the same. She pulled up the statistics on the weapon and noticed that it increased intelligence, mana resources, and mana regeneration. It was still pretty basic as far as any starting special weapon, but it looked like it was progressing in the right direction. Still, she knew that it was more a supporting feature than a real hand held weapon, just that having it separate gave her full freedom of choice and even the ability to fight hand to hand if needed. Since it was always on her arm, it also meant she was ready to go in a moment's notice.

If anything, there was just one downside to having it, and it was that she was off balance with her other arm bare. She frowned and started to consider how to address that annoyance when the sound of soft footfalls made her turn in the direction the sound originated. At first she thought it was someone sneaking up on her, but it was just the rest of her teammates, minus Renegade.

"So how does it feel, the effects of cryo-hibernation on game play?" Braun asked.

"Beyond what I expected," said Angel with a smug expression. "So what's in the schedule?"

"We train," stated Dusk as he tossed her a pack. "Think you're ready?"

Angel caught the pack, full of armor and accessories, and smiled.

"Of course."


End file.
